Avocado Toast with Poached Eggs

A delicious breakfast doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, simple cooking is often a great way to let the flavors do the talking. For me avocado toast is one of those simple foods. This recipe is really easy to prepare, and although the flavors are simple you always end up with amazing results. Anyone eating this would think you’re eating in a high-end restaurant.

Make this dish by first preparing the smashed avocado and roasted tomatoes. The water can be heating for the eggs while the tomatoes cook. Once this is done, poach your eggs and cook the toast while the eggs are poaching.

Roasting the Tomatoes

There is something special about roasted tomatoes for breakfast. I like to keep them simple here and let the flavors of the tomatoes do all the talking. Line a tray with baking paper and scatter the tomatoes over the top.

Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the tomatoes and then season with salt and pepper. Roast the tomatoes in a moderate oven for approximately 30 minutes, or longer depending on how you like the tomatoes cooked. You could also use an air fryer or frying pan to cook the tomatoes too.

Preparing the Smashed Avocado

Preparing avocado’s can be done in many different ways, and everyone has their opinion on which method works or doesn’t work. I have found the method I use to be reliable and efficient and preparing avocado’s every time.

Start by taking a knife and carefully running it around the avocado in a full circle from top to bottom. Separate the two halves from each other by grasping each half and giving them a small twist. Carefully take your knife and slap the blade into the seed. A quick twist and pull will remove the seed effortlessly from the flesh.

Take a spoon and use it to remove the flesh from the avocado. Do this by running the spoon around the edge between the skin and flesh.

Scoop the flesh into a bowl and use the back of a fork to mash the avocado until all the large chunks have been pulverized. How much you smash the avocado will ultimately come down to your personal tastes, you may prefer bigger chunks of avocado.

Finish the smashed avocado by adding in the lime juice and some sea salt flakes. Stir everything through and then set the smashed avocado aside until needed. Fresh lime juice is the preferred option here. Bottled lime juice also works as a quick substitute, it’s not as strong in flavor but it works in a pinch if you don’t have fresh limes on hand.

Notes:

• Use 1 large avocado’s or 2 small avocado’s to ensure you can serve a generous amount of smashed avocado.
• Vary the amount of juice you add based on your flavor preferences. Extra lime juice can also help make a smoother texture that can be easier to spread.
• Any leftover smashed avocado makes for a great snack later in the day – I Like to leftovers as a dip or smear it on fresh bread.

Preparing the Toast

When making the avocado toast, you will want to use a nice thick crusty bread that can help absorb all the flavors and egg yolk from the poached eggs. A large loaf like a sourdough or a ciabatta work great for this recipe. Go with your favorite and ensure it’s fresh.

Take a large pan and place it over a medium heat. Add in about a tablespoon of olive oil and then lay the slices of bread in the pan. Drizzle the top of each slice with a small amount of extra olive oil and then cook each side for 1-2 minutes, until it’s golden in color.

The bread slices can also be cooked in a toaster. Doing so won’t have the same flavor and texture as cooking it in the pan, it will also be a little dryer, but it can be an option if you’re in a rush.

Preparing the Poached Eggs

Poached eggs can often be seen as a scary complicated thing to make. I think it comes down to the fact that there are so many opinions on the correct way to poach an egg. Some say you should use vinegar, some say to swirl the water, and some recipes use other things such as poaching bags and cling film.

I used to find poached eggs a difficult to cook food and I often avoided cooking them because I just found them too hard to cook. Knowing what I know now though, delicious poached eggs are actually very easy to make. Follow the steps below for a fool proof method that works every time.

You can either use a deep frypan or a saucepan to poach the eggs. If using a frypan ensure it is quite deep as you need to add enough water for the eggs to be fully submerged. A frypan is my preferred option as it allows you to pour in multiple eggs at a time and then also easily scoop them out after. If you don’t have a large enough frypan, then use a large saucepan and cook the eggs in batches.

Filled the pan about 3/4 full with water and place the pan onto a high heat. Once the water is at a boil, add in about a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.

Next, prepare your eggs by cracking them each into a small ramekin. Don’t try to crack the eggs straight into the pan, it tends to make more mess and doesn’t hold together as well.

When you are ready to poach the eggs, turn the heat down to low, and then carefully pour each egg into a free space in the water bath. Set your timer for 3 minutes.

After 3 minutes use a large serving spoon or other similar tool to remove each egg from the water. Place the eggs onto some paper towel. Doing so helps remove any excess water and any watery part to the eggs not cooked.

Preparing the Avocado Toast

To serve, start by taking the toast and dividing it between plates. Take the smashed avocado and place a generous smear on each piece of toast, use the back of a spoon to spread it. Following this, carefully place a poached egg on top of each piece of toast. I typically use my hands to carefully transfer the eggs for this part.

Finish with a seasoning of cracked pepper and some sea salt and then sprinkle over some dukkah. Serve with the roasted tomatoes on the side. You could also add cooked bacon or mushrooms as other options for this dish too